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Unit 5: Mississippi in the Early 20 th Century

Unit 5: Mississippi in the Early 20 th Century. Chapter 7: The Dawn of the Twentieth Century. Post Reconstruction Mississippi . When whites returned to political power after reconstruction There was poverty African Americans were denied equality Poor white farmers joined the Populist

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Unit 5: Mississippi in the Early 20 th Century

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  1. Unit 5: Mississippi in the Early 20th Century Chapter 7: The Dawn of the Twentieth Century

  2. Post Reconstruction Mississippi • When whites returned to political power after reconstruction • There was poverty • African Americans were denied equality • Poor white farmers joined the Populist • Former confederates participated in Gov’t • After the Constitution of 1890 went into effect, the state began creating laws that separated the races • MS population grew from 1900-1945

  3. Jim Crow Laws • Segregation—Separation of the races • Any violation often resulted in violence such as lynching—usually hanging, often shot and or burned, carried out by a mob without legal authority • The only outward demonstration against it was when streetcars were segregated • African Americans boycotted them for a short time

  4. Education in Miss. • Before reconstruction there was no public education, even after reconstruction it was neglected • 1st public schools were segregated • Poll Tax money funded schools • There were more black students, but there were twice as many white teachers • White teachers were paid $300/year, black teachers earned $90/year—neither had formal training

  5. Agriculture • Cotton was still the most important crop • Many people were sharecroppers—people who did not own the land they farmed, their house, often their tools • Paid rent/debts with portion of yearly crops • The land belonged to the owner, and he told them what they could plant • Sharecroppers could not easily move from plantation to plantation • In 1890 60% of MS farmers were sharecroppers

  6. The Sharecropping System • Living conditions- board shacks in the middle of fields • Diet- cornbread, salted pork and molasses • School- only 6 wks, worked in field for 46 wks Massive debt. Had to stay on plantation until paid. High interest rate cycle

  7. D.O.J. Investigation • 1907 the Department of Justice (FBI) investigated plantation life. • 1/3 of Mississippi plantations held sharecroppers in near slavery • The Question. Was slavery really abolished? Legally, yes, but what about in other ways?

  8. Agricultural Problems • The boll weevil became a problem attacking the bolls where the cotton fibers were formed • This weevil devastated the cotton crop for years • Erosion was also a problem causing the loss of rich fertile land

  9. Lumber Industry • Boomed because of railroads • Mainly in the Piney Woods region • By the end of World War I the lumber boom ended because companies clear-cut trees and did not replant trees • Later yellow pines were planted to replace losses

  10. Bellwork • P 164 1-3

  11. Problems for Farmers • Falling cotton prices caused farmers big financial problems • The high tariffs—taxes on imports/exports—farmers had to pay hurt their profits • Farmers wanted tariff reform • The money policy in the U.S. at the time was the Gold Standard—money was backed by gold only and gold was in short supply, which meant less money was in circulation • Farmers wanted money to also be backed by silver—this is called bimetallism

  12. Populism • Made up of farmers who wanted the Federal government to pass laws in their interest

  13. Populists’ Goals • Free coinage of silver (or bimetallism) • Graduated income tax • Direct election of Senators • Regulation of railroads

  14. The more silver was produced, the more prices went up. Silver was cheaper than gold

  15. Miss. Farmers’ Alliance • Frank Burkittcreated this to help farmers • He was the editor of a Chickasaw Co. paper • He supported Ethelbert Barksdale—A democrat who wanted to extend credit to farmers • He formed the Miss. People’s Party (AKA Populist Party) to respond to the demands of farmers

  16. P. 167 (1-3)

  17. Non-Populists • Anselm J. McLaurin • He was the leader of the Democrats in 1890s • He came to power through patronage, appointing people to government positions as a reward for political support • LeRoy Percy replaced him as senator • James Z. George • Chosen by state legislature LeRoy Percy Anselm McLaurin

  18. Political Corruption • Elections were seen as no more than entertainment • Eventually corruption led to a call for primary elections in which all the party’s member voted for candidates of their choice, however the results were usually ignored • John Allen—was a Confederate private who was elected because he asked all former Confederates to vote for him

  19. A.H. Longino • A state Supreme Court judge who was elected governor • Supported holding statewide primary elections • Designed and constructed the new capitol • Campaigned to attract industry to Mississippi

  20. Progressive Movement • Members believed that local, state, and federal government was best equipped to correct problems in society like… • Corruption in business and government • Child labor • Caring for mentally ill • Improving prisons • Improving schools

  21. James K. Vardaman • James K. Vardaman—Governor from 1904-1908 he was known as a racist and showman • He opposed spending money to educate blacks, but supported white education • John Sharp—Defeated James Vardaman for a seat in the United States Senate

  22. P 170 (1-3) • P 178 (1-2) spotlight

  23. Theodore Bilbo • Served as lieutenant governor and governor (1916-1920) (even though he was tried for taking bribes) • Was known as the “Man of the People” • He distrusted the educated, sophisticated, and urbane • Created state tax commission • Founded tuberculosis hospital • Left governor to run for U.S. Senate

  24. Missississippi and World War I • U.S. entered in 1917 because • Use of Unrestricted Submarine Warfare by Germany • Sinking of passenger liner (ship) Lusitania • Zimmerman Telegram—sent by Germany to Mexico to get Mexico to attack the U.S. • The Bolshevik Revolution in Russia resulting in a socialist government there • Use of anti-German propaganda—lies and exaggerations used to get people to believe a certain way

  25. Bellwork • P. 176 (1-3)

  26. Unit 5: Mississippi in the Early 20th Century Chapter 8: Mississippi Between the Wars

  27. The Great Migration • Thousands of blacks moved from Miss. to the North to find factory jobs • They left to escape segregation and poverty, which was holding them down, to find a better life in the North • In 30 years 600,000 blacks left MS

  28. The Great Migration • MS leaders did not want blacks to leave as they were a major labor source for MS, and black leaders used this as a bargaining tool • Senator LeRoy Percy fought and defeated the KKK to get blacks to stay in MS • Jonas Edward Johnson—Headed the Committee of One Hundred—a group made up of black ministers, businessmen, and educators, quietly lobbied for improvements for blacks

  29. p. 185 (1-2)

  30. Whitfield and the “Big Four” • Henry Whitfield • Former state superintendent of education, he continued to support education as governor • Former president of Miss. Univ. for Women • The votes of women helped elect him (19th Amendment had passed) • Governor who did away with many restrictions (anti-trust laws) for big business • Wanted to fund the construction of factories, highways, buildings • Created a new school code • Supported African American prosperity and education, eased racial tensions • “Big Four” member’s of the Miss. Legislature that worked with Gov. Henry Whitfield • Thomas L. Bailey, Joseph W. George, Laurens Kennedy, and Walter Sillers, Jr.

  31. The Flood of 1927 • A levee broke due to rainfall and flooded nearly 3 million acres of the Delta • 185,000 people fled • Cotton crops were lost and livestock drowned • Dennis Murphree was governor

  32. p. 188 (1-4)

  33. Theodore Bilbo • Elected to his second term as governor in 1927 • Supported a road program using bricks to build roads (he said when the bricks wore out on one side, you could turn them over and use the other side.) • Tried to repeal Poll Tax, which angered supporters of segregation • Supported the Greater Liberia Bill to help African Americans migrate back to Africa • Governor when Great Depression began in 1929 Leader of the Back to Africa Movement

  34. Universities and Junior Colleges • Miss. A & M became Miss. State University (other colleges names were changed too) • Junior colleges created in the 1920s as a closer to home, cheaper way to get college credit (one of the 1st successful Miss. Gulf Coast Community College under superintendent Jefferson L. Denson • Ellen Woodward supported education • Increase libraries • Create school lunch programs • Preserve Miss. history

  35. Economic Growth • Cotton still dominated through 1940s, though it became more difficult to farm successfully • Farmers began to have to compete with Western states • MS farmers raised money in New York, etc. to support cotton • Cotton prices began to fall in the 1920s from 40¢/lbs to 6¢/lbs • Farmers took out loans they couldn’t pay back

  36. p. 194 (1-4)

  37. The Great Depression • The worst economic disaster in American history which lasted from the Stock Market Crash Oct. 29, 1929 to the beginning of World War II in 1939 • In MS there were massive bank foreclosures, tax sales of farms because farmers couldn’t make loan payments, and unemployment (read p. 195 for more effects)

  38. The New Deal • President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s plan to end the Great Depression • His plan used a series of laws and a wide variety of programs to improve the economy and society, and to relieve the suffering of the unemployed such as • Agriculture Adjustment Administration (AAA)—paid farmers NOT to plant crops • Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and Public Works Administration (PWA)—provided jobs for men in building projects such as planting trees or building schools • Blacks could be hired in these programs as well

  39. Martin Sennet “Mike” Connor • Youngest ever speaker of the Mississippi House of Representatives • Became governor in 1932 • The state was in huge debt! (about $5 million) • He created sales tax to increase revenue and decreased state spending (MS was the first state to impose a sales tax) • This paid off the debt and left MS with $3 million left over

  40. p. 201 (2-3)

  41. World War II • U.S. entered WWII when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Dec. 7, 1941 • The U.S. joined the Allies to fight the Axis Powers (Germany, Italy, Japan) • 1 out of 9 MS served in WWII • Populations of Pascagoula, Hattiesburg, and Greenwood, MS increased because either military bases or shipyards were located there • WWII ended the Great Depression Benito Mussolini (Italy’s dictator) and Adolf Hitler (Germany’s dictator) Flag raised after the Battle of Iwo Jima in Japan

  42. p. 203 (1, 3,)

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